Typically, a 211-mph Bonneville speed record would be enough to get me to write up an auction, and for a minute, I seriously considered pitching it as a post. Then this 1999 Lotus Elise in an incredibly boring silver threw a wrench into my plans. We never got the first-generation Elise in the U.S., but that isn’t what’s important here, not now that they’re 25 years old. No, the important part is that not only is this car left-hand drive like God intended, it’s also now powered by an engine from a JDM Honda Integra Type R.
Yes, you read that right. In six days, you could be the new owner of an Integra Type R–powered, left-hand-drive Series 1 Lotus Elise, and all it would take is a willingness to part with a little bit of money. How much money? I couldn’t say. As I’m writing this, the highest bid is only $11,000, but there’s still a good bit of time left on the auction, and the seller insisted on a reserve. A quick search to see what previous S1 Elises had sold for did, however, reveal that Cars & Bids sold this exact car in January 2024 for $43,210, so I’m going to guess they want at least $40,000 to take it off their hands.
British car, Japanese engine
That’s a lot of money for an old British car with a list of features that stops after “wheels” and “seats.” Then again, that’s the whole point of the Elise. It’s basically a powertrain on wheels wrapped in as little extra stuff as they could get away with. And oh, what a powertrain it is, making 197 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque in its stock form, and a few of the modifications could have made it even more powerful. The transmission? Also yoinked right out of an Integra Type R, along with the limited-slip differential.
Even better, despite being built by a company with “racing” in its name, it still has a catalytic converter, making it much easier to register in states that care about whether or not it’s safe to breathe. And while you could probably get used to driving on the right side, the fact that it’s left-hand drive means you won’t have to get used to anything other than how much happier driving will make you. It’s basically joy on four wheels.
So why is the seller getting rid of it after a little more than a year and roughly 2,800 miles? They haven’t said, but the only possible conclusion is that they’re cowards. This car is simply too awesome for them to handle, but you? You aren’t a coward, and you could happily own an Integra Type R–powered S1 Elise for much longer than a single year. You’re also taller, more attractive and far better dressed. Sadly, I don’t have the money to buy this car, but if you do, tell me this isn’t the most perfect thing you’ve ever seen. I dare you.
